{"id":582494,"date":"2026-05-24T08:33:44","date_gmt":"2026-05-24T08:33:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/582494\/"},"modified":"2026-05-24T08:33:44","modified_gmt":"2026-05-24T08:33:44","slug":"red-wings-legend-sings-praises-of-albert-johansson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/582494\/","title":{"rendered":"Red Wings Legend Sings Praises of Albert Johansson"},"content":{"rendered":"

An iconic Detroit<\/a> Red Wings player, all can agree that seven-time Norris Trophy winner Nicklas Lidstrom<\/a> knows a thing or two about defense.<\/p>\n

So, when he speaks of players who play the position, it\u2019s best to do as the old E.F. Hutton ad used to suggest.<\/p>\n

You should stop what you\u2019re doing and listen.<\/p>\n

Lidstrom, vice president of hockey operations for the Red Wings, was recently discussing the play of Detroit defenseman Albert Johansson<\/a> with the Swedish website Hockey Sverige<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“Vi s\u00e5g att han tog steg hela tiden och blev b\u00e4ttre och b\u00e4ttre”<\/p>\n

Efter flera s\u00e4songer i AHL har v\u00e4rml\u00e4nningen etablerat sig i NHL \u2013 och \u00e4r nu en toppback f\u00f6r Sverige i VM.https:\/\/t.co\/JsYpnsoWfS<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Hockeysverige.se (@hockeysverige) May 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Suffice to say, the Perfect Human is perfectly satisfied by what Johansson is bringing to the ice for the Red Wings.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he has had a great development and has taken steps all the time,\u201d Lidstrom said. \u201cPartly in Grand Rapids. There, he was not a player who complained or made a fuss. He fought on the farm team, and we saw that he took steps all the time and became better and better.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen he got the chance up in the NHL with Detroit, he took it. He has been very good for us, and I think he has been very consistent in his game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lidstrom Admires Johansson\u2019s Personality And Game<\/p>\n

As much as he was a generational player on the ice, Lidstrom was as humble as they come away from the action. It\u2019s a quality he admires in Johansson.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlbert is a very calm person,\u201d Lidstrom said. \u201cMaybe a little withdrawn, but I don\u2019t see him as shy, but more as quiet.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe might stand out more on the ice than he does off it, which is very good. In addition, he is absolutely appreciated within the organization. As I said, he doesn\u2019t make much of a fuss, but he is stable and goes to work every day. He is the kind of player that you know will be there and give his best pretty much every day.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is a player who does his job all the time, which has been impressive to watch, and you don\u2019t have to do much with him. Since then, as I said, he has taken steps all the time and gotten better and better.\u201d<\/p>\n

While comparing anyone to Lidstrom on pure skill would be nonsense, Lidstrom does see an element in Johansson\u2019s game that wasn\u2019t an area where he excelled.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe can play a little dirty or on the edge, but we like that he competes all the time,\u201d Lidstrom said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe plays tough in his own zone and can be tough to face. Even though he\u2019s not very big, he can play tough and aggressive. That\u2019s something we like about Albert.\u201d<\/p>\n

Red Wings Appreciate Johansson\u2019s Versatility<\/p>\n

They also see sneaky offense in Johansson\u2019s<\/a> game and valuable versatility.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn Detroit, he\u2019s made several nice plays and scored goals himself,\u201d Lidstrom said. \u201cYou can see that it\u2019s there, but it\u2019s not the first option for Albert. He\u2019s a player who moves the puck and is very good in his own zone.\u201d<\/p>\n

The left-shot Johansson is also an equally effective performer on either side of a defensive pairing.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery stable and can play both on the right and left side as a defender,\u201d Lidstrom said. \u201cHe is very good on the right side, too. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere are not many left-handed shooters who are also good on their off side. His game sense and skating are so good that he can play on both sides.\u201d<\/p>\n

Red Wings Icon Played With Johansson\u2019s Father<\/p>\n

Johansson is the son of former NHL defenseman Roger Johansson. Lidstrom was an international teammate of Roger Johansson on Sweden\u2019s national team. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe played together during the World Cup in the mid-1990s,\u201d Lidstrom said.<\/p>\n

He does see similarities in the playing styles of father and son.<\/p>\n

A little bit,\u201d Lidstrom said. \u201cHe was also a fighter, just like Albert is. A warrior who gave everything for the team.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think you see this in Albert, too. Then I think Albert is a better skater. An incredibly flexible and nice skater.\u201d<\/p>\n